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Port Vue Woman Sentenced on Drug Charges

By Staff Reports
The Tube City Almanac
June 21, 2019
Posted in: Crime and Police News

A Port Vue woman has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for her role in a narcotics ring that moved large amounts of heroin from New Jersey to the Mon-Yough area, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said Thursday.

Krystle Barretto, 33, also faces four years' probation under the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon in Pittsburgh. Barretto pleaded guilty to federal narcotics charges in February.

Prosecutors allege that along with her fiancee, Jarran Bell, 38, of Port Vue, Barretto was heard on wiretaps conspiring to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.

Federal authorities allege that Barretto arranged for approximately 25,000 stamp bags of heroin to be transported from Paterson and Union, N.J., to the McKeesport area.

The heroin was intercepted by police, a spokeswoman for Brady's office said.

Federal investigators believe that Barretto served as a drug connection for dealers in McKeesport as well as Clairton, Washington County and Westmoreland County, the spokeswoman said.

Prosecutors said a search of a home shared by Bell and Barretto found a loaded 9-mm handgun, five bricks of heroin and a money counter, Brady's spokeswoman said.

Bell has also pleaded guilty to federal narcotics charges and faces sentencing in September.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy prosecuted the case on behalf of the government, which was conducted by the federal Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force in conjunction with the FBI, state Attorney General's Office, the state police, Allegheny County sheriff's department and police, and police officers from Clairton, Duquesne, Munhall, Pittsburgh, West Mifflin and Wilkinsburg, Brady's spokeswoman said.

Originally published June 21, 2019.

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